It’s been awhile since I’ve written something and I actually have two videos to share with you. One is a tour of our house (gasp) and the other is a video of me! (gasp, gasp). I’m so awkward.
Our house is mostly finished. And I’ve been wiped out from fatigue and busyness. Here are some of the things I’ve been doing.
- Physical therapy 3x a week on foot and shoulder.
- MRIs on foot and shoulder (and hand and elbow – I have arthritis, but fortunately it’s the kind you want if you get any at all. I don’t have high inflammation markers). Plus other doctor’s and orthodontist appointments for me and the kids.
- Driving kids to swimming and dance twice a week, solfège, band ensemble, instrument lessons – all that multiplied by three.
- Attending year-end concerts and open houses and teacher’s meetings.
- Taking my clunky immobilising boot off to drive and putting it back on to walk.
- Sending my husband off on his business trips.
- Hosting house church and cookie swaps and tree decorating (okay, okay – I know it’s my own fault).
- Sidestepping the workers on the days they show up, and waiting for them the days they don’t.
- Accompanying the workers to the town dump to throw the rubble from construction (since you have to be a resident).
- Setting up appointments related to the court case for the first company walking off with a huge chunk of our money.
- Querying agents and publishing houses for my Regency.
- Reviewing the French translation of my memoir.
- Thinking ahead to my next book and reading Pickwick Papers to get a better grasp of Cockney slang.
- Planning a kid’s birthday and a friend’s baby shower, and a Christmas Eve plus Christmas lunch.
- Moderating a FB group and beta reading and just generally being available for friends who need me in the good times and the trials (as they also do for me, and in great number).
Those are just some of the things. I don’t remember ever feeling this tired and … wordless. Or perhaps all the words are going into books.
But! Our house is, at least, liveable. The stairs have been put in. Here are some pictures. This first is looking down the stairwell at the new stairs put in. There needs to be a wall on either side.
Our front door. (Taken on a different day late afternoon).
A view from the door of our living room. That doorway next to the tree is new.
The shelving unit that separates the living room from the corridor. It used to be a hallway with walls on either side, but we removed the walls. We had to add a supporting beam so my husband built open shelves on either side.
The tree at my back.
And the dining room that used to be a guest bedroom. We removed the wall in the spring. We still need to hang the paintings there.
The new stairs
and going up the stairs.
The dizzying view down. (We’re blocking it with a gate for now until my husband can build the walls).
Finally, a few pictures of the attic that will one day be four bedrooms and a bathroom. In about three years if we win the court case. In about however long it takes us to pay off the 20-year loan and come up with another massive sum if we lose the court case or the company goes bankrupt.
So that’s pretty much it. Of course you didn’t need to see the pictures because I’m about to show you in a video. First, the one with me talking. (Please ignore my gaucheness).
And then, of course, the actual tour.
So that’s what’s been going on with me. 2017 has felt like a year of brokenness and waiting. I mean, not in any obvious or detrimental way. It’s the constant waiting for workers and the next steps in the court case, me rushing to the doctor and dropping and breaking my phone screen, my sore foot that won’t heal for five months, all the running around … I’m just so weary.
But I’m still deeply grateful for everything I have. Here’s to 2018. I hope yours is filled with wonder.
This makes me happy for you!!!!!
Thank you Kat! 🙂 Merry Christmas!